Automobile interior trim panel



Feb. 5, 1935. H. J. WOODALL AUTOMOBILE INTERIOR TRIM PANEL Filed April 17, 1935 HIIIH| W W IN 0 A w I Z 1 MW B III Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Woodall Industries Incorporated, Detroit,

Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application April 17, 1933, Serial No. 666,436

7 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in interior trim panels for automobile bodies and particularly to improvements in panel construction whereby an improved panel is provided which is adapted to readily receive from the rear face thereof fastening devices used to secure the panel to its supporting framework and which is also adapted to securely hold such fastening devices while permitting desired adjustability of the fastening devices to meet the necessary requirements of their attachment to the supporting framework of the body.

Panels of this character generally comprise a foundation of composition fiber board or the like over the front face of which fabric or other suitable covering material is attached to give a finished appearance. Suitable fastening devices are provided to secure the finished panel to a supporting framework. A common practice is to provide such a panel adapted to receive fasteners from the rear after the fabric covering has been applied to the foundation board, which fasteners are not visible from the front face of the panel, and which are capable of ready attachment to the frame to securely position the panel thereupon. One well known method is to provide the foundation board of the panel with keyhole apertures, spaced apart along the margin of the panel board, through which apertures headed fasteners are received from the rear and moved into engagement with the panel. Such a construction is shown in Patent No. He. 18,720.

This practice includes the formation of apertures extending entirely through the foundation board which weakens the board, leaves open spaces underneath the covering material, and, upon insertion of the fasteners, produces protrusions of the covering material outwardly opposite the fasteners.

I propose to provide a panel of this general type with a fastener holding strip extending along the margin, upon the rear face of the panel, which strip is constructed and so secured in place as to permit ready insertion of the fasteners into engagement with the panel, and to securely hold the fasteners to the panel while permitting free adjustability thereof with respect thereto.

Other objects, advantages, and important features will more fully appear from the following specification, appended claims and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figures 1 is an elevation of a door frame showing my improved panel secured thereto and partly broken away,

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlargement in elevation with the material partly broken away.

The panel structure is shown in Figure 1 as 10. It is secured to the framework 12 of the door. As shown in the views this is accomplished by means of fasteners 14. These fasteners may be of any type suitable for the purpose. I have here shown a spring fastener having a head portion 16 and resilient prong portions extending angularly therefrom and adapted to be received through an opening in the flange 18 of the framework of the body adapted to exert tension tending to hold the entire panel structure toward the framework of the body.

My invention does not concern itself with the type of fastener employed and the one here shown is a fastener known to the trade.

I provide a panel which comprises a foundation panel board 20 covered on one side with upholstery cloth 22 which is turned over the edge of the foundation board as at 24 onto the back of the board and adhesively secured thereto so as to hold the covering material in place. In order to provide means to receive and securely hold the fasteners to the panel and to permit of their ready application thereto and of their adhesion with respect to the panel following their application thereto, I provide a strip 26 which is arranged to extend along a margin of the panel upon its rear face as shown in Figures 2 and 4 and which is provided with panel receiving apertures 28 arranged in spaced apart intervals laterally of the strip and in relatively close proximity to its outer margin. These apertures are adapted to receive the head of a fastener therethrough from the rear face. In the construction shown this may be accomplished by rotary motion which causes the head to enter there to be rotated into position through the opening and between the foundation board and the strip as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4.

The strip is secured to the foundation board by lines of stitching 30 which extend along its interior margin. The outer margin of the strip which is flush with the outer margin of the foundation board is held down by the covering material 16 which is folded from the face of the panel over onto the back of the strip and adhesively secured thereto. There is a certain amount of give in the covering material which permits the strip to be sprung away from the panel board due to stretching of this covering, as shown in Figure 2, and which permits the insertion of the fastener underneath the strip as shown in such figure and in Figure 3.

In order to insure that the panel will be held snugly against the framet irork of the body it is necessary that the fasteners be arranged closely adjacent to the outer margin of the panel so as to hold them at such point tightly against the frame. To permit the insertion of the heads of the fasteners underneath the strip it is likewise necessary that there be provided a space within which this may he inserted. This may be accomplished by undercutting a portion on the strip or providing sufficient space between the strip and the panel board, but it has been found that by adopting the present construction as stitching the strip along itsJinter-ior margin at a point remote from the fastener aperturesand holding the outer margin of the strip in place" by the tension of the upholstery cloth that-1a peculiarly tight grip is exerted-upon the strip? holding it toward the panel board which holds the fastener in position against accidental dis'place merit While at the same time permitting relative adjustability to accommodate for alignment with the provided aperturesin the framework of the body. 7 1 7.

What I claim is: j i

1. A trim' panel comprising a relatively stiff panel board, a fastener holding strip extending along amargin thereof upon therear face of the panelboard, covering material extending over the front face of .the panel folded over the edge of the panelboard on to said. strip and secured thereto and holding the outer margin .of the strip yieldingly. toward, the panelboardl, and means connecting thest'rip along its inner margin securely to the panelboarcl, said. strip being provided withfastener receiving apertures therethrough. i V p k a 2. Apanelas defined in claim 1 characterized in that the aperturesthrough the strip are arranged closely adjacent to the outer margin of the strip. V

3. A trim panel comprising a relatively stifi panel board, a fastener holding strip extending along a margin on the rear face of the panel and separate at its outer edge from said board, covering material extending over the frontface of the panel and folded over onto the back thereof and secured to said strip holding the strip along its outer margin yieldingly toward .thepanelboard,

panel board, .a fastener holding strip extending along a margin on the rear face of the panel- :noard, means connecting the strip along inner longitudinaledge securely to the panelboard, means connecting the strip along the outer longitudinal edge resiliently to the panelboard, said strip provided with spaced apartlliastener receivling aperturesspaced in proximitygto its resiliently connected edge.

6. A trim panel comprising relatively stiff panel board, a fastener .holding strip extending 'along a margin on the rear face of thepanelboard, means connectingithe strip securely to the panelboard including v.rneans connecting While permitting saidstrip to be sprung slightly away from the panelboard at spaced apart points adjacent to the outer margini of the strip, and fasteners having headed portions engaged by the said strip and panel such points'whereby the head of the fasteners held toward the panelboard by the strip against accidental displacement while having relative arijustabiiity with respect thereto.

7. A trim .panel comprising a relatively stiff panel beard a, fastenerfholding strip extending along a 'r'narginupon the rear face of the panel'- board, covering material extending over the front face of the panel and folded over the edge thereof onto said stripfland secured thereto and holding the outer margin of the strip yieldingly toward thepanel board, meansconnecting the strip along its opposite margin securely to the panelboard, headed fasteners carried by said strip. having their headed portions arranged thereunderneath adjacent to the outer margin thereof and held the strip toward the panelboard against accidental displacement While having relative frictionally resisted adjustability underneath the strip with respect to the panel.

HERBERT. WOODALL. 

